Automobile topping fabric



Jan. 23, 1923. 1,443,195

Dv W POTTER, AUTOMOBILE TOFPING FABRIC FILED DEc. 29. I920.

INVENTOR.

ATTOR/V E Y Patented den. 3, l1.

DANIEL TEQCIITIIER, 01E LOWIELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMOBILE TOPPING' JEABEJEQ.

Application filed December 29, 1920. Serial No. 4:33AM.

To all whom it may concern v Be it known that T, DANIEL W. POTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State I a '5 of Massachusetts, have lnvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Topping Fabric, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fabrics, particularly such as are suitable for the folding tops of vehicles such as automobiles.

It is desirable that such fabrics should be waterproof on the outside, pliable and scuff proof,.so that the top of which they form a part. can be folded when desired, and when up in position will be waterproof and neat in appearance.

As now made, the tops with which such fabrics are used are often provided with an inner lining, or the inner layer of the fabric is made of plain cloth. Such lining or innor layer becomes easily soiled or stained on the inside, and if there is a leak it becomes stained, in either case being unsightly, and in the case of the inner lining being expensive.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a flexible, waterproof, topping fabric which can be folded or bent without injury, which is sightly on the'outside, and which is so finished on the inside that it will not become stained if the fabric leaks and, if

all

soiled or stained, can be readily cleaned.

Besides being useful for the part of the top which is exposed to the weather, my fabric canv also preferably beused for the topping pads, straps, flaps, and bow coverings.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 represents a section of my preferred form of fabric shown. in perspective and greatly enlarged, in die Rig. 4 1S a sectional elevation, eraggen ated, of a modified form of fabric.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of another modified form of the fabric.

In the drawings, 1 is a .very much enlargedk sectional perspective of one form of my compound fabric. It comprises the hill interior layer C of cloth, an outside layer R of rubber compoundwhich is heat-cured and, on the outside surface 10, grained in a manner customary on similar fabrics. This graining adds to the appearance and assists in making the material flexible.

Preferably, on the outside of the graining there is applied a suitable flexible varnish V which adds to the appearance. Y 0n the inside of the cloth layer U is another'layer or layers of rubber compound A, the inside surface of which is printed with a suitable printing material,- or compound, indicated by B, in the form of a lining pattern 20. I

This inside rubber layer is preferably acid cured. f

The respective layers of cloth and rubber are fixed together in any well known manner so as to form a homogenous compound fabric.

' As shown in Fig 4, T may use an outside layer of rubber R grained at 10 and varnished at V, a first interior layer of cloth 0, a second interior layer of cloth G, an interior layer of rubber h, an inside layerof rubber H, with a suitable printed pattern B, which may leave parts 11, 11, of the layer H exposed.

As shown in Fig. 5, instead of usingrub her or rubber compound, may use any material such as is now used for artificial leather as, for instance, cellulose. in such case the outside layer L is preferably grained,

- the interior layer of cloth 0 is the same as in the rubber construction, the inside layer K of suitable flexible, waterproof material, is printedewith a pattern B, and the layers are fixed together in any suitable way.

, l prefer to make my fabric in the following way: Tn making the fabric shown in Fig. 1 where a single ply of what may be a relatively heav cloth, is used, I place a rubber compoun of suitable character of any well lmown type upon the cloth and run the cloth through calender rolls, which operation spreads the com ound and incorporates it on the outside 0 the fabric. The rubber compound is embossed and then varnished in any well known'way, and is I then heater cured. v Un the inside face of the cloth is then spread, preferably by the use of a knife in a well known way, one or more layersof rubber compound of a more li uid consistency than that on the outside. A er one or more layers have been so spread and dried, the-inlllltl side is printed, preferably by the use of rolls and a suitable compound, after which this and heater cured.

The inside of the exposed layer of cloth is then spread, as by means of a knife or in any other well known manner, with one or more coatings of a liquid rubber compound, and the inside face is then printed with a suitable printers ink, and this side of the compound fabric is acid cured.

Referring to Fig. 4, the printing may cover only part of the inside surface, leaving exposed portions such as 11.

If desired, the varnish on the outside face may be omitted.

he printing material, compound or ink, is preferably originally waterproof, or made soafter printing. I One relatively heavy layer of cloth, such as C in Fig. 1, may be used, or two or more relatively light layers, such as O and G, shown in Fig. 4. r

The principal features of my invention are the one or more interior layers of cloth for strength, an outside layer of flexible.

waterproof material, grained for flexibility and appearance, and an inside layer of waterproof material which cannot be stained, or from which surface stains can readily be removed, printed for appearance.

I claim:

1. The combination in a compound fabric for automobile tops, of an interior layer of cloth, with an outside layer of rubber compound Which is heat-cured and grained on the outside, a layer of flexible waterproof varnish on the outside of the graining, an inside layer of acid cured rubber, and an inside layer of printing material forming a pattern thereon.

2. In a compound fabric for tonning purposes, the combination of an interior layer of cloth, with an outside layer of grained rubber compound and an inside layer of rubber compound printed on the inside.

3. In a compound fabric for topping purposes, the combination of an interior layer of cloth, with an outside layer of grained rubber compound and an inside layer of rubber compound.

DANIEL W. POTTER. 

